6 nights to explore south of france...help
 

I am going to France for 8 nights 2 nights in Paris and then would like to explore S. of France in early July with my fiance. I have been speaking to people and reading, but still not sure how to plan this 6 nights. Many recommend to stay in Cannes and do day trips some say rent a car others say take taxis or trains. My fiance wants to have some beach time, but I have heard mixed things about Cannes beaches. I am also not sure if we should stay three nights in one location and three nights in another location. Any recommendations on how to maximize our time would be greatly appreciated

What are the "mixed" things you've heard about the beaches in Cannes? Personally, I've never heard any bad things about them. Nice's beach is flat rocks, and many people prefer white sand - which is what Cannes has.

If you plan to spend your entire trip along the coast, then you don't need a car - you can get to almost all the popular beach & coastal cities by train or bus - except St Tropez. I think there is a ferry to St Tropez, but we've never taken it. If you want to explore the interestinbg Nice Hinterland with all the cute perched villages, gorgous gorges, scenic mountain drives - then a car would work best. For 6 days, you could do without a car for the first 3, then rent a car for the last three.

A good plan would be 4 nights in Cannes (I actually prefer Nice), and then 2 nights in St Tropez with a car. However, you better nail down accommodations soon - July is a popular month. It will be VERY crowded the last 2 weeks in July.

We've spent 16 weeks on the Cote d'Azur.

Stu Dudley

Thank you! Do you think we should fly or train back to paris? We are going first week in July so I know i need to reserve hotels ASAP. Friends recommended Hotel Martinez in Cannes. Do you have suggestions for St. Tropez hotels?

The Martinez is a beautiful hotel. Carlton is good too.
Cannes has sandy beaches. Martinez, and the other hotels along the Croisette, have beach clubs. I believe that guests of the hotel get one sunlounger each on the beach included in the room rate. Lunch at Z plage, the Martinez beach, is great but expensive (If I remember correctly they charge 25 euros for a club sandwich).

If you have 6 days for the Cote d'Azur, would you want to split your time between Cannes and St Tropez? If you stay on the beach in Cannes, then maybe somewhere like Villa Marie in St Tropez? I have not stayed there, but know the other hotels of the Sibuet group, and they are beautiful.

It' s what is called the high season. As sooner you make your reservation better it will be. Beside the fact that Cannes has sandy beach - what you have also in Antibes, Juan les Pins and after the Massif Esterel starting around the bay of St. Tropez - Cannes offers not so much things to discover, even there is no one museum in this city. A nice trip for a lazy day can be to take the little ships going over to the islands of Lerins.
A nice trip brings you also up to the Alps and the nearest ski-station in southern France for one Euro one way.
The italian part of the Riviera (but by train) is intersting for a day with the big open markets as there are in San Remo, in Ventimiglia or in Brodighera.
For the backland it would be better to have a car. Pretty nice are the villages of Gourdon, Tourrettes s/Loup, St. Paul and Haut de Cagnes.
A fullday along the coast by bus with stops in Antibes, Nice, Eze-Village and Monaco is different.
For shopping you ahve Cannes, rue d'Antibes is the mainstreet for? nearby the airport of Nice a big shopping aerea
It is right that if staying only on the coast you can travel easy and for chaep in all direction inside the departement of Alpes Maritimes (Also one Euro one way)by bus. Trains are a little bit more expensive.

We stay in apts while in St Tropez - but once stayed at Des Lices when we were only there for 3 nights. Nice hotel & great location.

Note - St Tropez does not have any beaches in town that you'll want to use. The "famous" beaches are about 15-20 mins away by car. Very decadent!!!

If you stay in St Tropez after Nice, I would drive to the Aix en Provence TGV station ( 1 1/2 drive) and take the TGV to Paris - 3hr train trip. The TGV from the Nice Ville station is 5 3/4 hrs.

Stu Dudley